Fashion

Beats by Dr Dre Studio HD

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Whilst being undeniably well designed and sleek looking, the Beats by Dre Solo's are an expesnive option in comparison to others. Bass levels are good but overall sound quality can be replicated for less. „

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"Good sound"

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Expensive

Beats by dr dre headphones

What are the Beats Studio headphones?

The Beats by Dre. Studio have, for years, been the top-end model in the highly-recognisable Beats range. And now they've been given a refresh for 2013 and beyond.
you get a pair of great-feeling, good-looking headphones that feature active noise cancellation to make them even more commute-friendly. These are the best-sounding Beats headphones we've tried, too, but as ever with Beats headphones the sound quality doesn't entirely match the price.

Beats Studio - Design and Comfort

Beats by Dre. has simplified the Beats Studio look in this new reincarnation. Where the previous model had cups that stuck out a way from the side of your head, these stick pretty close.

Any design suggestion that these are headphones for the music studio seems to have vanished, besides the name, as the design here is clearly formulated with the commuter in mind. And really, that's no bad thing.

These are reasonably light ANC full-size over-ear headphones that are quite streamlined and classy in their lines, but there are enough loud Beats design inflections to let them sit happily among their brothers.

The trademark mix of black and red colouring is here, along with the classic 'b' Beats signifier on the rear of each cup. Their entire outer part is glossy plastic. It's eye-catching, but doesn't entirely fit with a £270 pair of headphones. And it attracts more fingerprints than a CSI crime scene.

That said, build quality seemed perfectly fine during testing, and the Beats Studio feel sturdier than the Wesc Chambers Premium by RZA, which are lower-cost Studio rip-offs.

We would like to have seen slightly higher-grade synthetic leather used on the ear pads. It's smooth and soft, but is clearly fake when protein leather often looks pretty convincing these days.

The Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones do provide solid comfort, and most people will find them a more pleasant wear than the on-ear Beats Solo HD. However, the Beats Studio headband is the Beats standard one, which is designed more for on-the-go use than pure comfort.

It's made of squidgy rubber rather than synthetic leather or fabric, intended to ensure the Beats Studio stay on your head, making them suitable for jogging - most over-ears headphones simply aren't. They also fold up for added portability, and Beats by Dre. supplies a semi-hard case.

You also get a trio of cables. There are the standard red audio cables, one with and one without a remote, and a microUSB to charge the internal battery.

Like the active noise cancelling Bose QC3, the Beats Studio need charge to operate, so if the battery dies so do your tunes. However, you'll get a solid 15-20 hours of playback off a charge. And unlike the previous Studio set, they use an integrated rechargeable battery rather than AAAs.

Beats Studio - Noise Cancellation

The execution of the noise cancellation feature is pretty neat in the Beats Studio. There's a little button on the right earcup that switches the headphones on and off, and underneath it sits a little 5-light battery level indicator.

The Beats logo on the left cup is a subtle button that acts as a push-to-hear control, cutting out both the music and noise cancellation to make hearing your surroundings easier. There doesn't seem to be an auto-off function, and we often returned to the Beats Studio to find them dead, having forgotten to switch the things off.

Beats by Dre.'s noise cancellation is good, but not amazing. There's not the eerie silence that Bose's QC15 can produce, but this also means the Beats Studio don't create the same feeling of in-ear pressure that more intense ANC headphones can.

They do leave a constant hiss, which is quite apparent in quieter music, though - but we imagine few Beats buyers will end up listening to too many solo violin pieces.

We do wonder whether this easy-going ANC is deliberate, too. The Beats Studio really use a mix of cancellation and passive isolation to block out the outside world. And it works pretty well. They make good public transport headphones.

Beats Studio - Sound Quality

As is common with the Beats-range headphones, where they start to fall down is when we point a critical ear towards their sound quality.

However, they are the best-sounding Beats by Dre. headphones we've used in recent memory. The trademark bass skew is here, but it's much less destructive than we heard in the recent Beats by Dr. Dre Mixr.

The Beats Studio don't boom in the same way, and that is a good thing. Instead, the bass and low-mid emphasis makes these headphones sound 'thick', in a manner that's more closely comparable to the sound signature of the Beats Solo HD.

We're not all that enamoured with this approach to the low-end. It's better than a boomy mess, but the bass-mid thickness doesn't make a great show of music with low or sub-bass (that's the real chest-rattling stuff) and has a pretty serious effect on sound separation.

The Beats Studio sound is wide enough for a full-size closed headphone, but a lack of separation stops the soundstage from coming across as particularly expansive or intricate.

There's also an odd harshness to the upper-mids when the volume is raised at all high. With anything but the smoothest of recordings, vocals can cut through with an unpleasant edge.

Electronic music sounds pretty good through the Beats Studio, as it manages to minimise the effects of these headphones' sonic shortcomings.

There's quite a lot to like about the Beats Studio. They're comfortable, they're flexible and - in terms of their lines at least - they are more innocuous than the Beats Studio of old.

A mix of active noise cancellation and simpler isolation means they fare pretty well on public transport.

However, several aspects of both the sound and design don't seem to quite match up with the price. The glossy plastic finish can look a little cheap, especially when laden with fingerprints, and the thick sound, complete with harsh mids/treble, doesn't have the finesse we expect at the price.

They're sure to win a bunch of fans, but we think that even bassheads will prefer the more refined Sennheiser Momentum, which also have better low and sub-bass performance.

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"shows off"

accesories

sleek

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price

Its not as bad as people say!

The beats by Dre series has always been overlooked and said way too expensive for the sound quality. These are usually people who have never owned a pair of beats before.You should not be able to judge things if you haven't experience them. Putting that aside these headphones are very comfortable to wear around your head/neck. These headphones are lighter than the last studios by about 14%. These headphones are a bit more low profile from the last ones so they don't stick off your head. Be warned if you are buying these they are a fingerprint magnet so if you like everything with no finger prints on this is not for you. These headphones have a rechargeable battery which if you owned the last studios you could only dream about having. The sound quality is very clear and the base is less muddy than last year so the base is more consistent so it meets what the artist intended. It also has some very good noise cancelling so if you have a noisy environment these are perfect for you. You also get a very nice beats hard case so if you do spend all that money you don't break them instantly speaking of the price these are some very premium priced headphones so if you want to have a sleek beautiful pair of headphones with some amazing packaging what tells everyone who sees you think you have a lot of money and you like music a lot

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Look no further if purchasing headphones!

The majority of people who enjoy music through headphones own Beats, in recent years they have become the major company in audio products and at £129.99 I figured that I could not go wrong.

Whilst many criticize the Beats for feeling cheap, I hold the completely opposite opinion. In my opinion these headphones feel like they are made from a quality material and this is definitely felt when folding the headphones they just fold so smoothly which provides for easy transportation especially with the included Beats pouch. In addition to this, they also have the huge advantage of looking very quality, much though has clearly gone into the visual element as these headphones have also become a huge fashion item.

However, there is no use buying a pair of headphones just to look and feel good, if they do not posses a high level of audio quality they are simply not worth the purchase. These headphones do not disappoint at all, they hold a perfect level of audio, the bass is nothing shy of amazing and the music is just incredibly crisp, they completely overshadow other headphones that I have tried (Sony, JCB, Sennheiser).

All together I feel that if you are considering purchasing headphones and are willing to put in a rather large financial investment, look no further than Solo HD's, without a doubt worth the money. Dr Dre Beats Solo HD not only look stunning but also feature the very best in audio quality, as the advert suggests, they are 'The perfect mix of sound and style!'

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forget about dre

The Beats line is a sub-par and gimmicky product and I am disappointed with myself for buying into the chirade. Through clever marketing, product placement, and celebrity endorsements, Dr Dre has somehow managed to convince the world and consumers that he has made some revolutionary product worthy of the exorbitant pricing.In reality these headphones are not special in any way. They are merely a name, or a silly logo on your ears. Yes, they are good headphones, but those are not hard to come by, and for a great deal less. I imagine there is no shortage of gullible teenage drones lining Dre's pockets since his rap career dried up, but I do not recommend you join them. Spend half the price on a decent pair of headphones, and then spend the other half on som Kendrick Lamar CDs or an Eminem t-shirt, don't waste it on Dr Dre.

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Reliability

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One of my favourite tools in my music arsenal but are expensive

I received a pair of beats headphones for Christmas and was obviously very excited. I used them straight away and found them to bring a real quality to a wide range of genres. I don't find the bass to be over powering at all and find the power of the headphones great. I use them mostly In a new Walkman where the bass on that can be changed and acoustic songs sound amazing when played that way. I also found more bassy songs sounded great. I have used the larger and more expensive Dre Dre headphones and found them to be of a real quality but I don't think they warrant the huge extra price tag compared to these. When I do use a £20 pair of headphones or in-ear headphones I struggle with the sound quality if I have used the beats recently before. They are also very stylish and I got a pair in red, a colour they look very nice in if I don't say so myself. Would I recommend them to a friend? More than likely I wouldn't. It is a lot of money for a pair of headphones that aren't absolutely mind blowing. As a present however, they were a fantastic gift and I am very pleased with them. I wouldn't ever want to replace them but I am not sure I could recommend them.

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I would recommend to a friend

MY EXPERIENCEI got some beats for christmas and I had wanted them for a while. I had used some of the bigger and more expensive ones before and thought they were amazing. I didn't expect much of a difference in these ones, however I didn't get the same 'THESE ARE AMAZING!' feeling. However I do agree they are a lot better quality than normal head/earphones.

WHAT I LOVEThey are stylish. Easy to use - just plug them in! The music is a great quality and the beats are amplified great. Also you don't have to put battery in them like other beats headphones and are not as chunky.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE SO MUCHThe wire is detachable which I think is pretty pointless. Also they feel quite flimsy.

ALL IN ALL I think they are a bit overpriced however they do there job well. I would recommend them.

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You will be 'socially cool', but your music won't sound brilliant.

I bought 'Beats by Dre' headphones back in September from Comet, and I am truly sorry I spent so much money on them.

The headphones themselves are well made, and fit perfectly over my head and ears with the slider adjustment, and they feel very comfortable - they are very light and sometimes I don't even realise I have them on. The actual ear pads swivel slightly as well, so it it fits flush to your ear.

Unfortunately, that is the best part about them. Because the actual sound quality is no better than my £25 Sony headphones, that I decided to get back out of the drawer and continue using. In fact, if anything, they are WORSE. I listen to mainly uplifting dance tunes, and the bass is absolutely awful - so bad that I thought they were faulty, but on trying my friends same headphones, I discovered they were not.

This is a classic case of someone famous cashing in on their name, and putting their name to something in order to sell something - regardless of the quality.

Really disappointing.

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Not as great as their popularity suggests; better available for less money

I am not an audiophile, but I do know what makes a headphone sound good. So, I thought that these would be pretty decent, given their price point. Most uni students seem to have these, so I decided to give them a go, and to be honest it wasn't long before I was regretting it.

By no means are they terrible, like some reviews I've seen elsewhere. They have a depth and warmth to the sound that you just wouldn't get from say, your standard Apple earbuds. However, the bass just sits there and dominates everything; making other instruments sound muffled and somehow, not so good. My £30 JVCs offer slightly less power on the bass, but are much clearer on the treble, making for an overall more pleasant listening experience, and the bigger ear cups mean that sound isolation is better with my cheaper JVCs as well. This is my main issue with the Beats Solo; they'd be absolutely fine if they cost around, say £50, but at £180 they are way overpriced for what they are. And I'm sorry, but £180 headphones should not be made from cheap plastic. They just don't feel like a quality product, which is unacceptable at this price point.

I returned mine just before the 30 day limit expired, but don't get me wrong, I used them extensively in that time. They just didn't feel as if they were worth the money, and I was very concerned about breaking them. I switched them for some Bowers & Wilkins P3s, which cost about the same, but their bass, while obviously present, is not as intrusive as the Beats, and the mids and trebles are much more audible, for example in Led Zep's Whole Lotta Love, you can hear Robert Plant using a tambourine, but you cannot when using the Beats.

Overall, while the Beats aren't bad per se, they're definitely not worth the £180 asking price, get some B&W P3s or Bose OE2s instead if you have to spend this kind of money. But for similar performance on a budget, check out the £30 JVC HA-M750s, similar bass performance but better treble.

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not worth it

Okay, This is straight out a waste of money. Compared to 20£ headphones they have better bass and are a bit louder. But then again these are a 100£ more expensive! so I expected more from the beats. Not only was the sound quality not as good as they made it out to be. the metal hinge has weakened within a few months so it doesnt stay folded, the colour has dark ugly debris on it, and the most disappointing thing of all were the wires it comes with. It comes with 2, the first one ripped after 2 months and the second one which wasnt even USED doesnt work at all. Overall your better off getting skull candies or investing in an even better headphone if you really want a useful investment! The only good thing is the 'prestige' of having beats infront of other people. and thats not the reason i bought it.

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Beats by Dr Dre headphones

This is my first review in this headphones section, I'm not very good at all things technical but I know what I like and I know how it works for me and sometimes I think its better to read a review from a normal person and not one that includes lots of technical data that no-one can understand. I aim in this review to give you my normal person opinion on these cool headphones.

So, just to give you a little bit of background on the name of this headphones and where the name came from. According to an article I read, "Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment andBeats Electronics. Dre was previously the co-owner and artist of Death Row Records. He has produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent and Game." In my opinion he's pretty cool and although I'm just a white stay at home mum from middle England I do like rap and this type of music and think these headphones are really cool.

The company he set up, "Beats Electronics, LLC is a producer of audio products and equipment headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The company was founded by hip-hop/rap artist and entrepreneur Andre "Dr. Dre" Young and Interscope-Geffen-A&M Records chairman Jimmy Iovine, and primarily produces products under the brand Beats by Dr. Dre." The article goes on to say that Beats headphones accounted for 9% of the monetary value of the headphones market in the year 2010so they are doing very well.

This particular pair of headphones is like the headphones you would see someone wearing in a recording studio. They have a part that goes over your head and then has big padded ear phone covers that go over each ear. They are really comfortable to wear and cover over your ear and don't press on it so I can actually wear these for quite a long while without getting a sore head or ears. Also, obviously they do not fall out of your ears like the little in the ear earphones do so in terms of comfort and just being able to sit or walk with these on listening to music they are great. They are adjustable at either side and once moved do not move easily on their own so you can adjust them comfortably to fit your head.

They come packed in a really nice sturdy box with a cardboard sleeve over the top. The box is really well made and inside there is a plastic insert so you can keep these headphones well protected and they do not have a chance then to get damaged. This is a great box to store them in and also looks quite cool in itself too. On the back of the box it tells you a little bit about the headphones and I will quote that as it tells you way better than I would be able to describe them.

"It's all about the sound. The music you hear in your headphones should sound as good as it did when the artist recorded it. But normal headphones can't deliver the rich, full sound in today's digital audio tracks. Beats are precision engineered to reveal the full sound of your music. Big, powerful speakers with proprietary driver technologies dwarf the sound of the standard earbuds delivering all the power, clarity, super-deep bass that today's artists and producers want you to hear. Even better, the powered isolation technology actively cuts external noise so all you can hear is the music.

The music I hear through these headphones is very crisp and clear and definitely better than any other headphones I have used. I think because the headphones are all around your ear you get to really listen to the music and really hear it. This headphones are quite basey and you can really hear the back beats and tones of the music you are listening to. Now, in terms of noise cancelling I am not 100% sure about these. When I wear them if I speak to someone I can't really hear myself talk but that is because I am the one talking. If someone talks to me when I am wearing these headphones I can hear them so I would say the headphones are not 100% noise cancelling but they are very close to it.

I think the only downside of these headphones would be the size. Obviously like little in the ear headphones you cannot just stuff these in your bag and carry them around with you easily, you really need a bag just for them if you want to take them out with you so they are not the most portable but they are excellent functioning headphones. I was able to find these on sale in the £120 region and would recommend them if you are looking for good quality headphones.